Day 2 SOL 16: The Quiet of Morning

The words crept in before the sun rose in the morning sky.  The thinking started to spin and swirl though I tried to push it away.  Blackness surrounded me and the window revealed not a sign of light.  I turned over trying to get back to sleep, but it didn't work.  I couldn't stop the day as my to-do list started to formulate in my head.  Finally, I reached to touch my screen for the time; it was 4:30 in the morning.

There was a day I wouldn't have seen 4:30.  There was a day when my alarm would go off and I would hit the snooze button over and over again.  There was a day when getting out of bed took every ounce of energy I had.  My husband would always remind, "The easiest way is to just get up and not think about being tired."  It used to be there was nothing that would make me get up before the clock displayed 6 a.m. or later, but lately I'd consider that sleeping in.

Looking back, I think it probably started when the kids were little.  During those years it seemed the best way to get a bit of time to read, write, or catch up was to get up while everyone in the house still slept.  It was in this time that I learned to appreciate a hot cup of coffee, the silence of morning, and the song of the early bird.  Only in these early hours could I watch night and morning dance together before going their separate ways.  

Sometimes I'm a bit jealous of my friends who can make it past the late news.  I envy those who do their best work in the late hours of the day.  It seems they accomplish much in the time I am fighting to stay awake.  They get to enjoy late night television, the glitter of stars, and books well into the night.  They can go to parties and stay out well past the time when Cinderella's chariot turns back into a pumpkin.

When my late night friends are just reaching their prime, I'm fighting to stay awake.  When the sun descends along the horizon, I'm finding myself ready to call it a night.  Where are the words that swirled at 4:30 in the morning?  The blackness has returned.  I'm ready to call it a night.  I'll be waiting for morning.

For the month of March I will be participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge hosted at Two Writing Teachers.  It will be a busy month of writing, commenting, and learning with this community.  Stop by today's link up to join the conversation or find some great reading.